JOIN USMumbai Indians' disastrous campaign in the Champions League Twenty20 came to an end with their third defeat in four matches as they meekly surrendered to Sydney Sixers by 12 runs at Kingsmead, here tonight.
Chasing a modest target of 137, Mumbai frittered away a good platform provided by openers Sachin Tendulkar and Dwayne Smith as they ended on 124 for eight in their stipulated 20 overs.
Tendulkar and Smith added 52 runs for the opening stand in 8.2 overs but the middle order failed miserably as the Big Bash champions clawed their way back into the match.
Mumbai Indians gained a lucky entry as the fourth IPL team in this tournament but their entire campaign was a nightmarish one as they failed to perform as a unit in high-pressure situations, thus ending on a winless note.
Unlike Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings, who played with a no-holds barred approach after being eliminated, the Mumbai Indians could not shrug off the rustiness that was their companion for the entire duration of the tournament.
Australia's gen-next pacers, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins along with talented all-rounder Moises Henriques shared bulk of the spoils between them.
For Mumbai, Smith top-scored with 28-ball 26 while Tendulkar, who looked well set en route his 22, was once again bowled before he could make it big.
Mumbai kept on losing wickets at regular intervals as Rohit Sharma (16), Dinesh Karthik (18), Kieron Pollard (4) and Thisara Perere (2) failed to make any substantial contribution with the bat.
Score board
SYDNEY SIXERS: Michael Lumb c Smith b Malinga 28, Peter Nevill c Perera b Patel 5, Nic Maddinson (run out) 27, Brad Haddin c Rayudu b Patel 0, Steven Smith b Malinga 41, Moises Henriques lbw Harbhajan Singh 0, Steve O’Keefe c Patel b Perera 6, Nathan McCullum (not out) 20, Pat Cummins (not out) 4. Extras (B-1, LB-1, W-3) 5. Total (for 7 wkts, 20 overs) 136.
Fall of wickets: 1-33, 2-40, 3-40, 4-76, 5-77, 6-98, 7-119.
Bowling: Munaf Patel 4-1-17-2, Lasith Malinga 4-0-36-2, Thisara Perera 3-0-22-1, Pragyan Ojha 4-0-29-0, Harbhajan Singh 4-0-22-1, Dwayne Smith 1-0-8-0.
MUMBAI INDIANS: Dwayne Smith c Nevill b Henriques 26, Sachin Tendulkar b Henriques 22, Rohit Sharma run out 16, Dinesh Karthik (run out) 18, Kieron Pollard c Haddin b Cummins 4, Ambati Rayudu c Smith b Starc 6, Thissara Perera c Henriques b Starc 2, Harbhajan Singh (not out) 22, Lasith Malinga c Haddin b Cummins 1, Pragyan Ojha (not out)0; Extras (LB-3, W-4) 7; Total (8 wickets; 20 overs) 124.
Fall of wickets: 1-52, 2-53, 3-75, 4-89, 5-93, 6-101, 7-102, 8-104.
Bowling: Josh Hazlewood 4-0-20-0, Mitchell Starc 4-0-32-2, Cummins 4-0-16-2, Henriques 4-0-29-2, O'Keefe 3-1-16-0, N McCullum 1-0-8-0.